


Rules To Live By

by quiet__tiger



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Drama, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 07:10:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10848999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: Living in Gotham involves a learning curve.





	Rules To Live By

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "When in Rome."
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal 12th-May-2011.

Robert knew the move to Gotham would be tough. New job, new apartment, and he’d have to make new friends. But it would be worth it once he got himself settled; the new job was a great opportunity that he couldn’t turn down.

But the pamphlet he found in his new apartment when he’d first opened the door…

_Welcome to Gotham City! We appreciate your decision to relocate to our fine city. While the city is beautiful and safe, there are a few guidelines suggested by law enforcement to ensure your continued safety…_

The pamphlet contained many bulleted points that would ‘ensure safety.’ Like don’t go out at night alone. Avoid such-and-such streets between certain hours. New businesses need to have their names approved by city hall. Don’t buy suspicious-looking products. …all culminated by ads for places to take self defense lessons.

Crazy stuff.

And then this nonsense about the Batman, who the writer of the pamphlet didn’t seem sure entirely existed.

Maybe the move was a mistake after all, but it was too late now. The pamphlet only had _suggested guidelines_ anyway.

He’d be fine.

~*~

Three months after starting his life in Gotham, Robert was a believer in the power of the guidelines. He’d walked on a forbidden street and gotten mugged. He watched news coverage for two days following a poisoned shampoo epidemic. Two companies with “Second” in their name were robbed.

Gotham was freaking insane.

But the first time he caught the Batman out of the corner of his eye while walking home then turned the corner and found a pile of unconscious thugs, he was turned into a believer. That the Batman would keep everyone safe. That following the guidelines would help. That the city may be crazy but there was a certain amount of energy and passion that the lunatics couldn’t take away.

Or maybe living in Gotham made Robert crazy too.

He’d never know for sure.


End file.
